Snow in the UK
I am finding it hard to believe that UK Airports cannot deal with snow a little better than they have in the last 24 hours.
I wa sdue to depart MAN at 0900 on Saturday morning, but showed up to check in to fin the airport officially closed with landing aircraft in a hold pattern. 24R opened around 0730 for dep and arr and 24L opened arounf 0900.
But the snow that caused the problem fell before 2200 on the Friday night, and I cannot understand why the airport could not have cleared and de-icied the runways/taxiways earlier.
My 1 1/2 hour delay was certainly not the worst - either at MAN or at other UK airports, but I can't believe that taxiway and runway snow-clearing could not have been done earlier. (Although I understand that aircraft de-icing must take place as close to departure time as possible.)
Does anyone have any comments (for and against) regarding the way UK airports deal with icy conditions when they do show their faces 2/3 times a winter????